The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-07-08
Grasping and plundering.

To-day nothing but boldly conceived
and boldly executed conspiracies
against the masses. Years ago the
railroad began to be used as means
OF plumber. Gamblers and conspir-
ators seized this great system of
public improvement and convenience
and converted what had it's concept
ion in desire to benefit the public
into gigantic private enterprise Of
plumber. Millions of dollars have
been tilched from the people through
this fundamentally, and private
fortunes from two hundred millions
down to a single million, depending
upon the opportunity and impotence
of the operator, have been made.
Following this exhibition of CONNER
ciai depravity. have come food adul-
terators who with falsehood upon
their lips, on their business cards
and the labels upon their packages
and the cunning OF dishonesty in all
their business transactions, have
successfully defrauded producer and
consumer; the standard oil company
which has crushed competition In its
line, and assesses every man who
burns oil seven cents gallon more
than oil is worth, coal combinations
which put fictitious price upon ev-
cry pound of coal and thus taxes the
necessities of the people and increas-
es the price of every thing in the pro
duction of which the consumption o.
coal enters; boards of trade with
their ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain are conspicuous to
fleece the public on every hand The
graspins and plundering spirit Of the
time is rampant. 1t is stretching out
its leech-like fingers wider and aider
and is felt wherever there is anything
to clutch and. steal Just now the
farmer is confronted with an immense
concentration of capital which is in
tended to control the cattle ana beef
markets 1t is conception ut the
Union Stock Yards packers and can
mean no good to the breeder on the
farm. Close upon the heels OF this
conception comes the organization
of trust company to cont!,l the
rubber business, and that entire in
dustry is to come under the control
of three men, who have capital
enough back of them to crush COM
petition. The necessary rubber goods
thst are used in this country have
cost the people million dollars q
year, since the Goodyear patents ex-
PRED. 1t is believed that this COM
bination will compel the people to
pay hereafter at least twelve millions
|of dollars for what they have been
getting for one million. Is it not
time TO call a halt? Is it not time
that the Government was driven to
take determined stand between
these deep laid conspiracies and the
people! That they are conspiracies
there is no question; and if such
men as those who originate them are
to be allowed to go on unchecked the
sixty millions of people in this
country will soon be bound hand
and foot to a bakers dozen OF rest.
less rogues in broad cloth. Let US
organize to claim our natural and lie.
gal rights. The majority of our PEG.
pie are honest and are willing to do
as they would be done by. Let the
voice of that majority be heard as
the voice of one man for right and
justice. This is the honest mans
country and not the sharp.witted,
enterprising knave's. The people
can and m ust lift their voices for re-
form until the cattle kings are taxed
for the use of public lands that they
are using to compete in production
with the lawful owners of the land,
until such conspiracies os we have
mentioned are impossible and until
both rich and poor criminals are
treated to such a dose of justice as
their crimes against the public merit.
and i&ockman.
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